7 things you didn’t know about HAIM

Danielle, Alana and Este Haim couldn't have dreamed how their life would turn out when they were gawky teenagers jamming in their parents' living room in Southern California. The three sisters comprise one of the hottest bands right now, capped off by a recent performance on "Saturday Night Live" and the upcoming debut of their second album, "Something to Tell You." But despite all of HAIM's fanfare and praise, there's likely a lot you don't know about this talented trio. Here are some of our favorite biographical tidbits.

A lot of people mispronounce their name.

The name is HAIM. Get it right. (Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TAS)

Four-letter words are usually pretty easy to spell, but pronouncing them is another story. And as HAIM's popularity skyrockets, so does the inevitable mass mispronunciation of their name. They've been asked about this several times over the years, and luckily, there is a definitive answer: It rhymes with time, not tame.

Taylor Swift is a close friend.

The best people in life are free. (Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images for InStyle)

Swift befriended the sisters after they tweeted their love for the megastar's latest single back in 2014. They've been #squadgoals ever since. They also opened for Swift on her "1989" stadium tour.

Their dad was once a star soccer player in Israel.

At left, Mordecai Haim with wife Donna and their three daughters, Danielle, Este and Alana, on a family vacation; at right, Mordechai and Donna Haim. (Photo: Tumblr)

Mordecai Haim played for Israel's Maccabi Jaffa soccer team before meeting his wife, Donna, and moving to Los Angeles in 1980. He then retired from soccer and shifted his interests to other activities.

Their latest video was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Everyone in Hollywood is pining to work with him. He's married to one of the funniest women in the world (Maya Rudolph). His credits include "Boogie Nights," "There Will Be Blood" and "Magnolia." He's won six Academy Awards. He's Paul Thomas Anderson, and he just directed "Right Now," HAIM's latest video. It's actually a live, impromptu recording of the song, shot seemingly in one take, for a super-intimate glimpse into how the sisters craft their songs, and just how stripped-down their sound has become compared to their first album, 2013's "Days are Gone."

The oldest sister, Este, is diabetic.

Este, 31, is considered the comedian of the family, but she takes her diabetes very seriously. (Photo: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Girls Rock Camp Foundation)

Este Haim, who plays both bass and drums for the band in addition to vocals, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 14. She doesn't drink or smoke, and she wears an insulin pump at all times. She also maintains a strict diet to control her blood sugar and counts on the support of her sisters while on tour. "Type 1 diabetes takes a lot of planning," Este said at an event for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. "It’s no joke. You’ve got to take it seriously."

There's a game dedicated to them, and it's called 'What Haim Is It?'

When consummate TV and radio host Ryan Seacrest had HAIM on his "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" show in 2015, he found a great way to break the ice: he essentially baited them to make fun of one another. He made up a game, called "What HAIM Is It?", and asked each sister how she'd react to several hypothetical situations. For example, he asked Alana: "You need an outfit for a last-minute date, but you have nothing to wear. Whose closet do you raid?" The answer, "hands down," was Danielle, the unabashed fashionista of the three.

Their producer is Ariel Rechtshaid, who has helped craft music for Usher, Madonna and Adele.

Adele and producer Ariel Rehctshaid (right) accepted the Album Of The Year award for '25' at the 2017 Grammy Awards. (Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for NARAS)

Ariel Rechsthaid is one of the most sought-after music producers on the planet, and he's been working with HAIM since 2012. That could explain why HAIM's debut album was so highly anticipated even before anyone had heard of the sisters. Bonus fact: Rechtshaid is now dating Danielle Haim, the 28-year-old lead vocalist and middle child. Who says you can't mix business with pleasure?

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Jaime Bender
is a staff writer, copy editor and web producer at From the Grapevine who also manages Israeli Kitchen, From The Grapevine’s food channel.